HOSPITAL BILL

Grey River Argus, 8 December 1932, Page 2

HOSPITAL BILL

Passed by Upper House ('Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, December 7. In the Legislative Council Sir J. Parr moved the second reading of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill. He said the measure provided for the amalgamation of hospital districts by Order-in-Couneil, on the recommendation of the Commission. At present, amalgamation could only be brought about voluntarily. The Bill was approved by the Hospital Boards’ Association, and the idea was to coordinate services in order to eliminate waste and promote efficiency. Sir T. Sidey said the Bill was a confession. on the part of all Governments that they were unable to resist political pressure. In spite of expert opinion the number of hospital districts had been ineeased, and the efficiency of service had suffered. Air Alclntyrp said the proposals of the National Expenditure Adjustment Commission, in regard to hospital control, had been bureaucratic but there were safeguards in the present bill against possible injustices and he congratulated the Government, on bringing it down. Mr Fagan said he hoped the Government would see its way to provide, unde the bill, the limitation of hours of duty of probationer nurses in private hospitals. The Bill was read a second time. In moving the second reading of the Uiban Farm Lands Rating Bill, Sir J. Parr said the question of rates paid by small farmers within boroughs had been the subject of a Commission, and the proposals in the bill wore on the lines of the recommendations of the Commission. It had tho approval of the Alunicipal Associations. Air Buddo said the Bill did not go any further than the previous legislation. and did not deal adequately with tho claims of the small urban farmer for relief of rates. The Bill was read a second time, put through tho remaining stages without discussion, and passed.